Parker-hannifin Corporation

Adis Halimic

Thomas J Baric

Michael D Bridges

Mike Bridges

Provided is an actuator, preferably a linear actuator, including a carriage having a lateral support surface for supporting a first longitudinal section of a belt against lateral deflection and a space adjacent to and longitudinally offset from the lateral support surface for partially surrounding a second longitudinal section of the belt that is deflected relative to the lateral support surface to take up slack and/or tension the belt. By containing the slack within the carriage using the space and the lateral support surface, slack may be removed from the belt or the belt may be tensioned in an easy and cost efficient manner.

Belt tensioning method

Provided is an actuator, preferably a linear actuator, including a carriage () having a lateral support surface () for supporting a first longitudinal section of a belt against lateral deflection and a space () adjacent to and longitudinally offset from the lateral support surface for partially surrounding a second longitudinal section of the belt that is deflected relative to the lateral support surface to take up slack and/or tension the belt. By containing the slack within the carriage using the space and the lateral support surface, slack may be removed from the belt or the belt may be tensioned in an easy and cost efficient manner.

Provided is a carriage assemblyincluding a carriage, a wheel barthat is deflectable relative to the carriage, and a plurality of wheelsmounted to the barfor rotation around a respective axis, the axisof at least one of the wheelsbeing offset from the axisof at least one of the other wheelsin a direction of the wheel bar deflection. The wheel baris deflected relative to the carriageto allow the wheelsto engage respective railsin a trackto eliminate or reduce play between the wheels and the track.

Wheel preload device

A linear actuator includes an actuator housing (), a drive screw assembly () extending into the actuator housing (), a tubular thrust rod (), and an inner sleeve () disposed therein and engaging the drive screw assembly () for supporting the drive screw assembly () against radial movement during axial movement of the thrust rod () relative to the actuator housing (). The drive screw assembly () includes a rotatable drive screw (), a nut () coupled to the thrust rod () for movement with the nut () and in threaded engagement with the screw () for driving the nut () relative to the screw (), and a screw bearing () coupled to a distal end () of the screw () for providing engagement between the screw () and the inner sleeve (), where the nut () translates rotational movement of the screw () into axial movement of the thrust rod ().

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Cheswick, PA, United States of America

Adis Halimic